1
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Kim SY, Lim W. Effect of adult-born immature granule cells on pattern separation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Cogn Neurodyn 2024; 18:2077-2093. [PMID: 39104672 PMCID: PMC11297892 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-023-09985-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Young immature granule cells (imGCs) appear via adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). In comparison to mature GCs (mGCs) (born during development), the imGCs exhibit two competing distinct properties such as high excitability (increasing activation degree) and low excitatory innervation (reducing activation degree). We develop a spiking neural network for the DG, incorporating both the mGCs and the imGCs. The mGCs are well known to perform "pattern separation" (i.e., a process of transforming similar input patterns into less similar output patterns) to facilitate pattern storage in the hippocampal CA3. In this paper, we investigate the effect of the young imGCs on pattern separation of the mGCs. The pattern separation efficacy (PSE) of the mGCs is found to vary through competition between high excitability and low excitatory innervation of the imGCs. Their PSE becomes enhanced (worsened) when the effect of high excitability is higher (lower) than the effect of low excitatory innervation. In contrast to the mGCs, the imGCs are found to perform "pattern integration" (i.e., making association between dissimilar patterns). Finally, we speculate that memory resolution in the hippocampal CA3 might be optimally maximized via mixed cooperative encoding through pattern separation and pattern integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Yoon Kim
- Institute for Computational Neuroscience and Department of Science Education, Daegu National University of Education, Daegu, 42411 Korea
| | - Woochang Lim
- Institute for Computational Neuroscience and Department of Science Education, Daegu National University of Education, Daegu, 42411 Korea
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2
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Saxena R, McNaughton BL. Bridging Neuroscience and AI: Environmental Enrichment as a Model for Forward Knowledge Transfer. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2405.07295v2. [PMID: 38947919 PMCID: PMC11213130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Continual learning (CL) refers to an agent's capability to learn from a continuous stream of data and transfer knowledge without forgetting old information. One crucial aspect of CL is forward transfer, i.e., improved and faster learning on a new task by leveraging information from prior knowledge. While this ability comes naturally to biological brains, it poses a significant challenge for artificial intelligence (AI). Here, we suggest that environmental enrichment (EE) can be used as a biological model for studying forward transfer, inspiring human-like AI development. EE refers to animal studies that enhance cognitive, social, motor, and sensory stimulation and is a model for what, in humans, is referred to as 'cognitive reserve'. Enriched animals show significant improvement in learning speed and performance on new tasks, typically exhibiting forward transfer. We explore anatomical, molecular, and neuronal changes post-EE and discuss how artificial neural networks (ANNs) can be used to predict neural computation changes after enriched experiences. Finally, we provide a synergistic way of combining neuroscience and AI research that paves the path toward developing AI capable of rapid and efficient new task learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajat Saxena
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Bruce L McNaughton
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4 Canada
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3
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Lazarov O, Gupta M, Kumar P, Morrissey Z, Phan T. Memory circuits in dementia: The engram, hippocampal neurogenesis and Alzheimer's disease. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 236:102601. [PMID: 38570083 PMCID: PMC11221328 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Here, we provide an in-depth consideration of our current understanding of engrams, spanning from molecular to network levels, and hippocampal neurogenesis, in health and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This review highlights novel findings in these emerging research fields and future research directions for novel therapeutic avenues for memory failure in dementia. Engrams, memory in AD, and hippocampal neurogenesis have each been extensively studied. The integration of these topics, however, has been relatively less deliberated, and is the focus of this review. We primarily focus on the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, which is a key area of episodic memory formation. Episodic memory is significantly impaired in AD, and is also the site of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Advancements in technology, especially opto- and chemogenetics, have made sophisticated manipulations of engram cells possible. Furthermore, innovative methods have emerged for monitoring neurons, even specific neuronal populations, in vivo while animals engage in tasks, such as calcium imaging. In vivo calcium imaging contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of engram cells. Critically, studies of the engram in the DG using these technologies have shown the important contribution of hippocampal neurogenesis for memory in both health and AD. Together, the discussion of these topics provides a holistic perspective that motivates questions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orly Lazarov
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Muskan Gupta
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Pavan Kumar
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Zachery Morrissey
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Trongha Phan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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4
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Sakelaris B, Riecke H. Adult Neurogenesis Reconciles Flexibility and Stability of Olfactory Perceptual Memory. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.03.583153. [PMID: 38737721 PMCID: PMC11087939 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.03.583153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
In brain regions featuring ongoing plasticity, the task of quickly encoding new information without overwriting old memories presents a significant challenge. In the rodent olfactory bulb, which is renowned for substantial structural plasticity driven by adult neurogenesis and persistent turnover of dendritic spines, we show that such plasticity is vital to overcoming this flexibility-stability dilemma. To do so, we develop a computational model for structural plasticity in the olfactory bulb and show that the maturation of adult-born neurons facilitates the abilities to learn quickly and forget slowly. Particularly important to achieve this goal are the transient enhancement of the plasticity, excitability, and susceptibility to apoptosis that characterizes young neurons. The model captures many experimental observations and makes a number of testable predictions. Overall, it identifies memory consolidation as an important role of adult neurogenesis in olfaction and exemplifies how the brain can maintain stable memories despite ongoing extensive plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bennet Sakelaris
- Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Hermann Riecke
- Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
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5
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Li H, Tamura R, Hayashi D, Asai H, Koga J, Ando S, Yokota S, Kaneko J, Sakurai K, Sumiyoshi A, Yamamoto T, Hikishima K, Tanaka KZ, McHugh TJ, Hisatsune T. Silencing dentate newborn neurons alters excitatory/inhibitory balance and impairs behavioral inhibition and flexibility. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk4741. [PMID: 38198539 PMCID: PMC10780870 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk4741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis confers the hippocampus with unparalleled neural plasticity, essential for intricate cognitive functions. The specific influence of sparse newborn neurons (NBNs) in modulating neural activities and subsequently steering behavior, however, remains obscure. Using an engineered NBN-tetanus toxin mouse model (NBN-TeTX), we noninvasively silenced NBNs, elucidating their crucial role in impulse inhibition and cognitive flexibility as evidenced through Morris water maze reversal learning and Go/Nogo task in operant learning. Task-based functional MRI (tb-fMRI) paired with operant learning revealed dorsal hippocampal hyperactivation during the Nogo task in male NBN-TeTX mice, suggesting that hippocampal hyperexcitability might underlie the observed behavioral deficits. Additionally, resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) exhibited enhanced functional connectivity between the dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus following NBN silencing. Further investigations into the activities of PV+ interneurons and mossy cells highlighted the indispensability of NBNs in maintaining the hippocampal excitation/inhibition balance. Our findings emphasize that the neural plasticity driven by NBNs extensively modulates the hippocampus, sculpting inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Li
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Risako Tamura
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Daiki Hayashi
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Asai
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Junya Koga
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Shota Ando
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Sayumi Yokota
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Jun Kaneko
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Keisuke Sakurai
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Akira Sumiyoshi
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tadashi Yamamoto
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Keigo Hikishima
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Z. Tanaka
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Thomas J. McHugh
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiro Hisatsune
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
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6
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Berdugo‐Vega G, Dhingra S, Calegari F. Sharpening the blades of the dentate gyrus: how adult-born neurons differentially modulate diverse aspects of hippocampal learning and memory. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113524. [PMID: 37743770 PMCID: PMC11059975 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023113524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For decades, the mammalian hippocampus has been the focus of cellular, anatomical, behavioral, and computational studies aimed at understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying cognition. Long recognized as the brain's seat for learning and memory, a wealth of knowledge has been accumulated on how the hippocampus processes sensory input, builds complex associations between objects, events, and space, and stores this information in the form of memories to be retrieved later in life. However, despite major efforts, our understanding of hippocampal cognitive function remains fragmentary, and models trying to explain it are continually revisited. Here, we review the literature across all above-mentioned domains and offer a new perspective by bringing attention to the most distinctive, and generally neglected, feature of the mammalian hippocampal formation, namely, the structural separability of the two blades of the dentate gyrus into "supra-pyramidal" and "infra-pyramidal". Next, we discuss recent reports supporting differential effects of adult neurogenesis in the regulation of mature granule cell activity in these two blades. We propose a model for how differences in connectivity and adult neurogenesis in the two blades can potentially provide a substrate for subtly different cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Berdugo‐Vega
- CRTD‐Center for Regenerative Therapies DresdenTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
- Present address:
Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Shonali Dhingra
- CRTD‐Center for Regenerative Therapies DresdenTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Federico Calegari
- CRTD‐Center for Regenerative Therapies DresdenTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
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7
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Villard J, Chareyron LJ, Piguet O, Lambercy P, Lonchampt G, Lavenex PB, Amaral DG, Lavenex P. Structural plasticity in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices following hippocampal lesions in rhesus monkeys. Hippocampus 2023; 33:1094-1112. [PMID: 37337377 PMCID: PMC10543642 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Immature neurons expressing the Bcl2 protein are present in various regions of the mammalian brain, including the amygdala and the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. Their functional role is unknown but we have previously shown that neonatal and adult hippocampal lesions increase their differentiation in the monkey amygdala. Here, we assessed whether hippocampal lesions similarly affect immature neurons in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. Since Bcl2-positive cells were found mainly in areas Eo, Er, and Elr of the entorhinal cortex and in layer II of the perirhinal cortex, we also used Nissl-stained sections to determine the number and soma size of immature and mature neurons in layer III of area Er and layer II of area 36 of the perirhinal cortex. We found different structural changes in these regions following hippocampal lesions, which were influenced by the time of the lesion. In neonate-lesioned monkeys, the number of immature neurons in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices was generally higher than in controls. The number of mature neurons was also higher in layer III of area Er of neonate-lesioned monkeys but no differences were found in layer II of area 36. In adult-lesioned monkeys, the number of immature neurons in the entorhinal cortex was lower than in controls but did not differ from controls in the perirhinal cortex. The number of mature neurons in layer III of area Er did not differ from controls, but the number of small, mature neurons in layer II of area 36 was lower than in controls. In sum, hippocampal lesions impacted populations of mature and immature neurons in discrete regions and layers of the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices, which are interconnected with the amygdala and provide major cortical inputs to the hippocampus. These structural changes may contribute to some functional recovery following hippocampal injury in an age-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Villard
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Loïc J. Chareyron
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivia Piguet
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pauline Lambercy
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gianni Lonchampt
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pamela Banta Lavenex
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Switzerland
| | - David G. Amaral
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California at Davis
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California at Davis
| | - Pierre Lavenex
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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8
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Emery BA, Hu X, Khanzada S, Kempermann G, Amin H. High-resolution CMOS-based biosensor for assessing hippocampal circuit dynamics in experience-dependent plasticity. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 237:115471. [PMID: 37379793 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Experiential richness creates tissue-level changes and synaptic plasticity as patterns emerge from rhythmic spatiotemporal activity of large interconnected neuronal assemblies. Despite numerous experimental and computational approaches at different scales, the precise impact of experience on network-wide computational dynamics remains inaccessible due to the lack of applicable large-scale recording methodology. We here demonstrate a large-scale multi-site biohybrid brain circuity on-CMOS-based biosensor with an unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution of 4096 microelectrodes, which allows simultaneous electrophysiological assessment across the entire hippocampal-cortical subnetworks from mice living in an enriched environment (ENR) and standard-housed (SD) conditions. Our platform, empowered with various computational analyses, reveals environmental enrichment's impacts on local and global spatiotemporal neural dynamics, firing synchrony, topological network complexity, and large-scale connectome. Our results delineate the distinct role of prior experience in enhancing multiplexed dimensional coding formed by neuronal ensembles and error tolerance and resilience to random failures compared to standard conditions. The scope and depth of these effects highlight the critical role of high-density, large-scale biosensors to provide a new understanding of the computational dynamics and information processing in multimodal physiological and experience-dependent plasticity conditions and their role in higher brain functions. Knowledge of these large-scale dynamics can inspire the development of biologically plausible computational models and computational artificial intelligence networks and expand the reach of neuromorphic brain-inspired computing into new applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Addison Emery
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Xin Hu
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Shahrukh Khanzada
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gerd Kempermann
- Research Group "Adult Neurogenesis", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany; Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD), Fetscherstraße 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hayder Amin
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany; TU Dresden, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Bergstraße 53, 01069, Dresden, Germany.
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9
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Arribas DM, Marin-Burgin A, Morelli LG. Adult-born granule cells improve stimulus encoding and discrimination in the dentate gyrus. eLife 2023; 12:e80250. [PMID: 37584478 PMCID: PMC10476965 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneity plays an important role in diversifying neural responses to support brain function. Adult neurogenesis provides the dentate gyrus with a heterogeneous population of granule cells (GCs) that were born and developed their properties at different times. Immature GCs have distinct intrinsic and synaptic properties than mature GCs and are needed for correct encoding and discrimination in spatial tasks. How immature GCs enhance the encoding of information to support these functions is not well understood. Here, we record the responses to fluctuating current injections of GCs of different ages in mouse hippocampal slices to study how they encode stimuli. Immature GCs produce unreliable responses compared to mature GCs, exhibiting imprecise spike timings across repeated stimulation. We use a statistical model to describe the stimulus-response transformation performed by GCs of different ages. We fit this model to the data and obtain parameters that capture GCs' encoding properties. Parameter values from this fit reflect the maturational differences of the population and indicate that immature GCs perform a differential encoding of stimuli. To study how this age heterogeneity influences encoding by a population, we perform stimulus decoding using populations that contain GCs of different ages. We find that, despite their individual unreliability, immature GCs enhance the fidelity of the signal encoded by the population and improve the discrimination of similar time-dependent stimuli. Thus, the observed heterogeneity confers the population with enhanced encoding capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego M Arribas
- Instituto de Investigacion en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET/Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Polo Cientifico TecnologicoBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Antonia Marin-Burgin
- Instituto de Investigacion en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET/Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Polo Cientifico TecnologicoBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Luis G Morelli
- Instituto de Investigacion en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET/Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Polo Cientifico TecnologicoBuenos AiresArgentina
- Departamento de Fisica, FCEyN UBA, Ciudad UniversitariaBuenos AiresArgentina
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology, Department of Systemic Cell BiologyDortmundGermany
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10
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Borzello M, Ramirez S, Treves A, Lee I, Scharfman H, Stark C, Knierim JJ, Rangel LM. Assessments of dentate gyrus function: discoveries and debates. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:502-517. [PMID: 37316588 PMCID: PMC10529488 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00710-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
There has been considerable speculation regarding the function of the dentate gyrus (DG) - a subregion of the mammalian hippocampus - in learning and memory. In this Perspective article, we compare leading theories of DG function. We note that these theories all critically rely on the generation of distinct patterns of activity in the region to signal differences between experiences and to reduce interference between memories. However, these theories are divided by the roles they attribute to the DG during learning and recall and by the contributions they ascribe to specific inputs or cell types within the DG. These differences influence the information that the DG is thought to impart to downstream structures. We work towards a holistic view of the role of DG in learning and memory by first developing three critical questions to foster a dialogue between the leading theories. We then evaluate the extent to which previous studies address our questions, highlight remaining areas of conflict, and suggest future experiments to bridge these theories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Borzello
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Inah Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Helen Scharfman
- Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiology and Psychiatry and the Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Craig Stark
- Department of Neurobiology and Behaviour, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - James J Knierim
- Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lara M Rangel
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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11
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Fung CCA, Fukai T. Competition on presynaptic resources enhances the discrimination of interfering memories. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad161. [PMID: 37275260 PMCID: PMC10235910 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that hippocampal adult neurogenesis is critical for discriminating considerably interfering memories. During adult neurogenesis, synaptic competition modifies the weights of synaptic connections nonlocally across neurons, thus providing a different form of unsupervised learning from Hebb's local plasticity rule. However, how synaptic competition achieves separating similar memories largely remains unknown. Here, we aim to link synaptic competition with such pattern separation. In synaptic competition, adult-born neurons are integrated into the existing neuronal pool by competing with mature neurons for synaptic connections from the entorhinal cortex. We show that synaptic competition and neuronal maturation play distinct roles in separating interfering memory patterns. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a feedforward neural network trained by a competition-based learning rule can outperform a multilayer perceptron trained by the backpropagation algorithm when only a small number of samples are available. Our results unveil the functional implications and potential applications of synaptic competition in neural computation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tomoki Fukai
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (C.C.A. Fung); (T. Fukai)
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12
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Vyleta NP, Snyder JS. Enhanced excitability but mature action potential waveforms at mossy fiber terminals of young, adult-born hippocampal neurons in mice. Commun Biol 2023; 6:290. [PMID: 36934174 PMCID: PMC10024705 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04678-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult-born granule neurons pass through immature critical periods where they display enhanced somatic excitability and afferent plasticity, which is believed to endow them with unique roles in hippocampal learning and memory. Using patch clamp recordings in mouse hippocampal slices, here we show that young neuron hyper-excitability is also observed at presynaptic mossy fiber terminals onto CA3 pyramidal neurons. However, action potential waveforms mature faster in the bouton than in the soma, suggesting rapid efferent functionality during immature stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P Vyleta
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jason S Snyder
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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13
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Loeb GE. Remembrance of things perceived: Adding thalamocortical function to artificial neural networks. Front Integr Neurosci 2023; 17:1108271. [PMID: 36959924 PMCID: PMC10027940 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1108271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent research has illuminated the complexity and importance of the thalamocortical system but it has been difficult to identify what computational functions it performs. Meanwhile, deep-learning artificial neural networks (ANNs) based on bio-inspired models of purely cortical circuits have achieved surprising success solving sophisticated cognitive problems associated historically with human intelligence. Nevertheless, the limitations and shortcomings of artificial intelligence (AI) based on such ANNs are becoming increasingly clear. This review considers how the addition of thalamocortical connectivity and its putative functions related to cortical attention might address some of those shortcomings. Such bio-inspired models are now providing both testable theories of biological cognition and improved AI technology, much of which is happening outside the usual academic venues.
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14
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Fölsz O, Trouche S, Croset V. Adult-born neurons add flexibility to hippocampal memories. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1128623. [PMID: 36875670 PMCID: PMC9975346 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1128623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Although most neurons are generated embryonically, neurogenesis is maintained at low rates in specific brain areas throughout adulthood, including the dentate gyrus of the mammalian hippocampus. Episodic-like memories encoded in the hippocampus require the dentate gyrus to decorrelate similar experiences by generating distinct neuronal representations from overlapping inputs (pattern separation). Adult-born neurons integrating into the dentate gyrus circuit compete with resident mature cells for neuronal inputs and outputs, and recruit inhibitory circuits to limit hippocampal activity. They display transient hyperexcitability and hyperplasticity during maturation, making them more likely to be recruited by any given experience. Behavioral evidence suggests that adult-born neurons support pattern separation in the rodent dentate gyrus during encoding, and they have been proposed to provide a temporal stamp to memories encoded in close succession. The constant addition of neurons gradually degrades old connections, promoting generalization and ultimately forgetting of remote memories in the hippocampus. This makes space for new memories, preventing saturation and interference. Overall, a small population of adult-born neurons appears to make a unique contribution to hippocampal information encoding and removal. Although several inconsistencies regarding the functional relevance of neurogenesis remain, in this review we argue that immature neurons confer a unique form of transience on the dentate gyrus that complements synaptic plasticity to help animals flexibly adapt to changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Fölsz
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom.,MSc in Neuroscience Programme, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stéphanie Trouche
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Vincent Croset
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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15
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Lei B, Kang B, Lin W, Chen H, Hao Y, Ma J, Shi S, Zhong Y. Adult newborn granule cells confer emotional state-dependent adaptability in memory retrieval. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn2136. [PMID: 36367932 PMCID: PMC9651853 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn2136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Achieving optimal behavior requires animals to flexibly retrieve prior knowledge. Here, we show that adult newborn granule cells (anbGCs) mediate emotional state-dependent adaptability of memory retrieval. We find that acute social reward (aSR) enhances memory retrieval by increasing the reactivation of engram cells, while acute social stress (aSS) weakens retrieval and reduces the reactivation. Such bidirectional regulation relies on the activation of distinct populations of anbGCs by aSR and aSS, triggering opposing modifications of dDG activity, which is sufficient to regulate and predict the performance of memory retrieval. Concordantly, in emotional disorder models, aSR-dependent memory adaptability is impaired, while the effect of aSS remains intact. Together, our data revealed that anbGCs mediate adaptability of memory retrieval, allowing animals to flexibly retrieve memory according to the current emotional state, and suggested the essential roles of anbGCs in translating emotional information to the regulation of memory expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Lei
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
| | - Bilin Kang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
| | - Wantong Lin
- Department of Computer Science, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Haichao Chen
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
| | - Yuejun Hao
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
| | - Jian Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
| | - Songhai Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
| | - Yi Zhong
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
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16
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Adult-born dentate granule cells promote hippocampal population sparsity. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1481-1491. [PMID: 36216999 PMCID: PMC9630129 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01176-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) gates neocortical information flow to the hippocampus. Intriguingly, the DG also produces adult-born dentate granule cells (abDGCs) throughout the lifespan, but their contribution to downstream firing dynamics remains unclear. Here, we show that abDGCs promote sparser hippocampal population spiking during mnemonic processing of novel stimuli. By combining triple-(DG-CA3-CA1) ensemble recordings and optogenetic interventions in behaving mice, we show that abDGCs constitute a subset of high-firing-rate neurons with enhanced activity responses to novelty and strong modulation by theta oscillations. Selectively activating abDGCs in their 4-7-week post-birth period increases sparsity of hippocampal population patterns, whereas suppressing abDGCs reduces this sparsity, increases principal cell firing rates and impairs novel object recognition with reduced dimensionality of the network firing structure, without affecting single-neuron spatial representations. We propose that adult-born granule cells transiently support sparser hippocampal population activity structure for higher-dimensional responses relevant to effective mnemonic information processing.
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17
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Diederich N, Ziegler M, Kaernbach C. Artificial neural network performance based on correlation analysis qualitatively comparable with human performance in behavioral signal detection experiments. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:279-289. [PMID: 35766442 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00393.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Standard Gaussian signal detection theory (SDT) is a widely used approach to assess the detection performance of living organisms or technical systems without looking at the inner workings of these systems like neural or electronic mechanisms. Nevertheless, a consideration of the inner mechanisms of a system and how they produce observed behaviors should help to better understand the functioning. It might even offer the possibility to demonstrate isolated pattern separation processes directly in the model. To do so, modeling the interaction between the entorhinal cortex (EC) and the hippocampal subnetwork dentate gyrus (DG) via the perforant path reveals the decorrelation network's mode of operation. We show that the ability to do pattern separation is crucial for high-performance pattern recognition, but also for lure discrimination, and depends on the proportionality between input and output network. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We elucidate the interplay of the entorhinal cortex and the hippocampal dentate gyrus during pattern separation tasks by providing a new simulation model. Functional memory formation and processing of similar memory content is illuminated from within the system. For the first time orthogonalized spiking patterns are evaluated with signal detection theory methods, and the results are applied to clinically established and novel tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Diederich
- Micro- and Nanoelectronic Systems, Institute of Micro- and Nanotechnologies-IMN MacroNano®, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany.,Nanoelectronics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Martin Ziegler
- Micro- and Nanoelectronic Systems, Institute of Micro- and Nanotechnologies-IMN MacroNano®, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Christian Kaernbach
- Department of Psychology, Experimental and Biological Psychology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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18
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Lattanzi D, Savelli D, Pagliarini M, Cuppini R, Ambrogini P. Short-Term, Voluntary Exercise Affects Morpho-Functional Maturation of Adult-Generated Neurons in Rat Hippocampus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126866. [PMID: 35743307 PMCID: PMC9224999 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical exercise is a well-proven neurogenic stimulus, promoting neuronal progenitor proliferation and affecting newborn cell survival. Besides, it has beneficial effects on brain health and cognition. Previously, we found that three days of physical activity in a very precocious period of adult-generated granule cell life is able to antedate the appearance of the first GABAergic synaptic contacts and increase T-type Ca2+ channel expression. Considering the role of GABA and Ca2+ in fostering neuronal maturation, in this study, we used short-term, voluntary exercise on a running wheel to investigate if it is able to induce long-term morphological and synaptic changes in newborn neurons. Using adult male rats, we found that: (i) three days of voluntary physical exercise can definitively influence the morpho-functional maturation process of newborn granule neurons when applied very early during their development; (ii) a significant percentage of new neurons show more mature morphological characteristics far from the end of exercise protocol; (iii) the long-term morphological effects result in enhanced synaptic plasticity. Present findings demonstrate that the morpho-functional changes induced by exercise on very immature adult-generated neurons are permanent, affecting the neuron maturation and integration in hippocampal circuitry. Our data contribute to underpinning the beneficial potential of physical activity on brain health, also performed for short times.
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19
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Shridhar S, Mishra P, Narayanan R. Dominant role of adult neurogenesis-induced structural heterogeneities in driving plasticity heterogeneity in dentate gyrus granule cells. Hippocampus 2022; 32:488-516. [PMID: 35561083 PMCID: PMC9322436 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Neurons and synapses manifest pronounced variability in the amount of plasticity induced by identical activity patterns. The mechanisms underlying such plasticity heterogeneity, which have been implicated in context‐specific resource allocation during encoding, have remained unexplored. Here, we employed a systematic physiologically constrained parametric search to identify the cellular mechanisms behind plasticity heterogeneity in dentate gyrus granule cells. We used heterogeneous model populations to ensure that our conclusions were not biased by parametric choices in a single hand‐tuned model. We found that each of intrinsic, synaptic, and structural heterogeneities independently yielded heterogeneities in synaptic plasticity profiles obtained with two different induction protocols. However, among the disparate forms of neural‐circuit heterogeneities, our analyses demonstrated the dominance of neurogenesis‐induced structural heterogeneities in driving plasticity heterogeneity in granule cells. We found that strong relationships between neuronal intrinsic excitability and plasticity emerged only when adult neurogenesis‐induced heterogeneities in neural structure were accounted for. Importantly, our analyses showed that it was not imperative that the manifestation of neural‐circuit heterogeneities must translate to heterogeneities in plasticity profiles. Specifically, despite the expression of heterogeneities in structural, synaptic, and intrinsic neuronal properties, similar plasticity profiles were attainable across all models through synergistic interactions among these heterogeneities. We assessed the parametric combinations required for the manifestation of such degeneracy in the expression of plasticity profiles. We found that immature cells showed physiological plasticity profiles despite receiving afferent inputs with weak synaptic strengths. Thus, the high intrinsic excitability of immature granule cells was sufficient to counterbalance their low excitatory drive in the expression of plasticity profile degeneracy. Together, our analyses demonstrate that disparate forms of neural‐circuit heterogeneities could mechanistically drive plasticity heterogeneity, but also caution against treating neural‐circuit heterogeneities as proxies for plasticity heterogeneity. Our study emphasizes the need for quantitatively characterizing the relationship between neural‐circuit and plasticity heterogeneities across brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameera Shridhar
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Poonam Mishra
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Rishikesh Narayanan
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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20
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Super-conserved receptors expressed in the brain: biology and medicinal chemistry efforts. Future Med Chem 2022; 14:899-913. [PMID: 35535715 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2022-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The super-conserved receptors expressed in the brain (SREB) constitute a family of orphan G protein-coupled receptors that include GPR27 (SREB1), GPR85 (SREB2) and GPR173 (SREB3). Their sequences are highly conserved in vertebrates, and they are almost exclusively expressed in the central nervous system. This family of receptors has attracted much attention due to their putative physiological functions and their potential as novel drug targets. The SREB family has been postulated to play important roles in a wide range of different diseases, including pancreatic β-cell insulin secretion and regulation, schizophrenia, autism and atherosclerosis. This review intends to provide a comprehensive overview of the SREB family and its recent advances in biology and medicinal chemistry.
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21
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Kudithipudi D, Aguilar-Simon M, Babb J, Bazhenov M, Blackiston D, Bongard J, Brna AP, Chakravarthi Raja S, Cheney N, Clune J, Daram A, Fusi S, Helfer P, Kay L, Ketz N, Kira Z, Kolouri S, Krichmar JL, Kriegman S, Levin M, Madireddy S, Manicka S, Marjaninejad A, McNaughton B, Miikkulainen R, Navratilova Z, Pandit T, Parker A, Pilly PK, Risi S, Sejnowski TJ, Soltoggio A, Soures N, Tolias AS, Urbina-Meléndez D, Valero-Cuevas FJ, van de Ven GM, Vogelstein JT, Wang F, Weiss R, Yanguas-Gil A, Zou X, Siegelmann H. Biological underpinnings for lifelong learning machines. NAT MACH INTELL 2022. [DOI: 10.1038/s42256-022-00452-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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22
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Koehl M, Ladevèze E, Montcouquiol M, Abrous DN. Vangl2, a Core Component of the WNT/PCP Pathway, Regulates Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Age-Related Decline in Cognitive Flexibility. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:844255. [PMID: 35370613 PMCID: PMC8965557 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.844255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Decline in episodic memory is one of the hallmarks of aging and represents one of the most important health problems facing Western societies. A key structure in episodic memory is the hippocampal formation and the dentate gyrus in particular, as the continuous production of new dentate granule neurons in this brain region was found to play a crucial role in memory and age-related decline in memory. As such, understanding the molecular processes that regulate the relationship between adult neurogenesis and aging of memory function holds great therapeutic potential. Recently, we found that Vang-Gogh like 2 (Vangl2), a core component of the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signaling pathway, is enriched in the dentate gyrus of adult mice. In this context, we sought to evaluate the involvement of this member of the Wnt/PCP pathway in both adult neurogenesis and memory abilities in adult and middle-aged mice. Using a heterozygous mouse model carrying a dominant-negative mutation in the Vangl2 gene, called Looptail (Vangl2Lp), we show that alteration in Vangl2 expression decreases the survival of adult-born granule cells and advances the onset of a decrease in cognitive flexibility. The inability of mutant mice to erase old irrelevant information to the benefit of new relevant ones highlights a key role of Vangl2 in interference-based forgetting. Taken together, our findings show that Vangl2 activity may constitute an interesting target to prevent age-related decline in hippocampal plasticity and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel Koehl
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Magendie, U1215, Neurogenesis and Pathophysiology group, Bordeaux, France
- *Correspondence: Muriel Koehl
| | - Elodie Ladevèze
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Magendie, U1215, Neurogenesis and Pathophysiology group, Bordeaux, France
| | - Mireille Montcouquiol
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Magendie, U1215, Planar Polarity and Plasticity Group, Bordeaux, France
| | - Djoher Nora Abrous
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Magendie, U1215, Neurogenesis and Pathophysiology group, Bordeaux, France
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23
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Chen QN, Ding XL, Guo XX, Zhou G, Guan JS. Suv39h1 regulates memory stability by inhibiting the expression of Shank1 in hippocampal newborn neurons. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:1424-1441. [PMID: 35181969 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Adult newborn neurons are involved in memory encoding and extinction, but the neural mechanism is unclear. We found the adult newborn neurons at 4 weeks are recruited by learning and subjected to epigenetic regulations, consequently reducing their ability to be re-recruited later. After removal of the epigenetic blockage, Suv39h1 KO mice showed an increased recruiting number of aged newborn neurons and enhanced flexibility in learning tasks. Besides NRXN1, we found SHANK1, the synaptic scaffold protein, is one of the major targets of Suv39h1, regulating memory stability. Expression of Shank1 is transiently engaged to enhance synaptogenesis during learning and is strongly suppressed by Suv39h1 from 5 hours after learning. Exogenously overexpression of Shank1 in dentate gyrus increased the density of mushroom spines and decreased the persistency of old memories. Our study indicated the activity-regulated epigenetic modification in newly matured newborn neurons in hippocampus insulates temporally distinct experiences and stabilizes old memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Nan Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Lu Ding
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu-Xian Guo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Zhou
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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24
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Hernández-Mercado K, Zepeda A. Morris Water Maze and Contextual Fear Conditioning Tasks to Evaluate Cognitive Functions Associated With Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:782947. [PMID: 35046769 PMCID: PMC8761726 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.782947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
New neurons are continuously generated and functionally integrated into the dentate gyrus (DG) network during the adult lifespan of most mammals. The hippocampus is a crucial structure for spatial learning and memory, and the addition of new neurons into the DG circuitry of rodents seems to be a key element for these processes to occur. The Morris water maze (MWM) and contextual fear conditioning (CFC) are among the most commonly used hippocampus-dependent behavioral tasks to study episodic-like learning and memory in rodents. While the functional contribution of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) through these paradigms has been widely addressed, results have generated controversial findings. In this review, we analyze and discuss possible factors in the experimental methods that could explain the inconsistent results among AHN studies; moreover, we provide specific suggestions for the design of more sensitive protocols to assess AHN-mediated learning and memory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Hernández-Mercado
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicológia Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Angélica Zepeda
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicológia Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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25
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Kim SY, Lim W. Dynamical origin for winner-take-all competition in a biological network of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:014418. [PMID: 35193268 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.014418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We consider a biological network of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). Computational models suggest that the DG would be a preprocessor for pattern separation (i.e., a process transforming a set of similar input patterns into distinct nonoverlapping output patterns) which could facilitate pattern storage and retrieval in the CA3 area of the hippocampus. The main encoding cells in the DG are the granule cells (GCs) which receive the input from the entorhinal cortex (EC) and send their output to the CA3. We note that the activation degree of GCs is very low (∼5%). This sparsity has been thought to enhance the pattern separation. We investigate the dynamical origin for winner-take-all (WTA) competition which leads to sparse activation of the GCs. The whole GCs are grouped into lamellar clusters. In each cluster, there is one inhibitory (I) basket cell (BC) along with excitatory (E) GCs. There are three kinds of external inputs into the GCs: the direct excitatory EC input; the indirect feedforward inhibitory EC input, mediated by the HIPP (hilar perforant path-associated) cells; and the excitatory input from the hilar mossy cells (MCs). The firing activities of the GCs are determined via competition between the external E and I inputs. The E-I conductance ratio R_{E-I}^{(con)}^{*} (given by the time average of the ratio of the external E to I conductances) may represent well the degree of such external E-I input competition. It is thus found that GCs become active when their R_{E-I}^{(con)}^{*} is larger than a threshold R_{th}^{*}, and then the mean firing rates of the active GCs are strongly correlated with R_{E-I}^{(con)}^{*}. In each cluster, the feedback inhibition from the BC may select the winner GCs. GCs with larger R_{E-I}^{(con)}^{*} than the threshold R_{th}^{*} survive, and they become winners; all the other GCs with smaller R_{E-I}^{(con)}^{*} become silent. In this way, WTA competition occurs via competition between the firing activity of the GCs and the feedback inhibition from the BC in each cluster. Finally, we also study the effects of MC death and adult-born immature GCs on the WTA competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Yoon Kim
- Institute for Computational Neuroscience and Department of Science Education, Daegu National University of Education, Daegu 42411, Korea
| | - Woochang Lim
- Institute for Computational Neuroscience and Department of Science Education, Daegu National University of Education, Daegu 42411, Korea
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26
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Surget A, Belzung C. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis shapes adaptation and improves stress response: a mechanistic and integrative perspective. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:403-421. [PMID: 33990771 PMCID: PMC8960391 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01136-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) represents a remarkable form of neuroplasticity that has increasingly been linked to the stress response in recent years. However, the hippocampus does not itself support the expression of the different dimensions of the stress response. Moreover, the main hippocampal functions are essentially preserved under AHN depletion and adult-born immature neurons (abGNs) have no extrahippocampal projections, which questions the mechanisms by which abGNs influence functions supported by brain areas far from the hippocampus. Within this framework, we propose that through its computational influences AHN is pivotal in shaping adaption to environmental demands, underlying its role in stress response. The hippocampus with its high input convergence and output divergence represents a computational hub, ideally positioned in the brain (1) to detect cues and contexts linked to past, current and predicted stressful experiences, and (2) to supervise the expression of the stress response at the cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological levels. AHN appears to bias hippocampal computations toward enhanced conjunctive encoding and pattern separation, promoting contextual discrimination and cognitive flexibility, reducing proactive interference and generalization of stressful experiences to safe contexts. These effects result in gating downstream brain areas with more accurate and contextualized information, enabling the different dimensions of the stress response to be more appropriately set with specific contexts. Here, we first provide an integrative perspective of the functional involvement of AHN in the hippocampus and a phenomenological overview of the stress response. We then examine the mechanistic underpinning of the role of AHN in the stress response and describe its potential implications in the different dimensions accompanying this response.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Surget
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France.
| | - C Belzung
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France.
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27
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Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred H Gage
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA
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28
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Isoform-Specific Reduction of the Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor TCF4 Levels in Huntington's Disease. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0197-21.2021. [PMID: 34518368 PMCID: PMC8519306 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0197-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder with onset of characteristic motor symptoms at midlife, preceded by subtle cognitive and behavioral disturbances. Transcriptional dysregulation emerges early in the disease course and is considered central to HD pathogenesis. Using wild-type (wt) and HD knock-in mouse striatal cell lines we observed a HD genotype-dependent reduction in the protein levels of transcription factor 4 (TCF4), a member of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family with critical roles in brain development and function. We characterized mouse Tcf4 gene structure and expression of alternative mRNAs and protein isoforms in cell-based models of HD, and in four different brain regions of male transgenic HD mice (R6/1) from young to mature adulthood. The largest decrease in the levels of TCF4 at mRNA and specific protein isoforms were detected in the R6/1 mouse hippocampus. Translating this finding to human disease, we found reduced expression of long TCF4 isoforms in the postmortem hippocampal CA1 area and in the cerebral cortex of HD patients. Additionally, TCF4 protein isoforms showed differential synergism with the proneural transcription factor ASCL1 in activating reporter gene transcription in hippocampal and cortical cultured neurons. Induction of neuronal activity increased these synergistic effects in hippocampal but not in cortical neurons, suggesting brain region-dependent differences in TCF4 functions. Collectively, this study demonstrates isoform-specific changes in TCF4 expression in HD that could contribute to the progressive impairment of transcriptional regulation and neuronal function in this disease.
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29
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Sutton NM, Ascoli GA. Spiking Neural Networks and Hippocampal Function: A Web-Accessible Survey of Simulations, Modeling Methods, and Underlying Theories. COGN SYST RES 2021; 70:80-92. [PMID: 34504394 DOI: 10.1016/j.cogsys.2021.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Computational modeling has contributed to hippocampal research in a wide variety of ways and through a large diversity of approaches, reflecting the many advanced cognitive roles of this brain region. The intensively studied neuron type circuitry of the hippocampus is a particularly conducive substrate for spiking neural models. Here we present an online knowledge base of spiking neural network simulations of hippocampal functions. First, we overview theories involving the hippocampal formation in subjects such as spatial representation, learning, and memory. Then we describe an original literature mining process to organize published reports in various key aspects, including: (i) subject area (e.g., navigation, pattern completion, epilepsy); (ii) level of modeling detail (Hodgkin-Huxley, integrate-and-fire, etc.); and (iii) theoretical framework (attractor dynamics, oscillatory interference, self-organizing maps, and others). Moreover, every peer-reviewed publication is also annotated to indicate the specific neuron types represented in the network simulation, establishing a direct link with the Hippocampome.org portal. The web interface of the knowledge base enables dynamic content browsing and advanced searches, and consistently presents evidence supporting every annotation. Moreover, users are given access to several types of statistical reports about the collection, a selection of which is summarized in this paper. This open access resource thus provides an interactive platform to survey spiking neural network models of hippocampal functions, compare available computational methods, and foster ideas for suitable new directions of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nate M Sutton
- Department of Bioengineering, 4400 University Drive, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030 (USA)
| | - Giorgio A Ascoli
- Department of Bioengineering, 4400 University Drive, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030 (USA).,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, 4400 University Drive, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030 (USA)
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30
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Almulla AYH, Mogulkoc R, Baltaci AK, Dasdelen D. Learning, Neurogenesis, and Effects of Flavonoids on Learning. Mini Rev Med Chem 2021; 22:355-364. [PMID: 34238155 DOI: 10.2174/1389557521666210707120719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Learning and memory are two of our mind's most magical abilities. Different brain regions have roles in processing and storing different types of memories. The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for receiving information and storing it in the neocortex. One of the most impressive characteristics of the hippocampus is its capacity for neurogenesis, which is a process in which new neurons are produced and then transformed into mature neurons and finally integrated into neural circuits. The neurogenesis process in the hippocampus, an example of neuroplasticity in the adult brain, is believed to aid hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. New neurons are constantly produced in the hippocampus and integrated into the pre-existing neuronal network; this allows old memories already stored in the neocortex to be removed from the hippocampus and replaced with new ones. Factors affecting neurogenesis in the hippocampus may also affect hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. The flavonoids can particularly exert powerful actions in mammalian cognition and improve hippocampal-dependent learning and memory by positively affecting hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rasim Mogulkoc
- Selcuk University, Medical School Department of Physiology, 42075, Konya, Turkey
| | | | - Dervis Dasdelen
- Selcuk University, Medical School Department of Physiology, 42075, Konya, Turkey
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31
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Sefiani A, Geoffroy CG. The Potential Role of Inflammation in Modulating Endogenous Hippocampal Neurogenesis After Spinal Cord Injury. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:682259. [PMID: 34220440 PMCID: PMC8249862 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.682259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently there are approximately 291,000 people suffering from a spinal cord injury (SCI) in the United States. SCI is associated with traumatic changes in mobility and neuralgia, as well as many other long-term chronic health complications, including metabolic disorders, diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, osteoporosis, and elevated inflammatory markers. Due to medical advances, patients with SCI survive much longer than previously. This increase in life expectancy exposes them to novel neurological complications such as memory loss, cognitive decline, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. In fact, these usually age-associated disorders are more prevalent in people living with SCI. A common factor of these disorders is the reduction in hippocampal neurogenesis. Inflammation, which is elevated after SCI, plays a major role in modulating hippocampal neurogenesis. While there is no clear consensus on the mechanism of the decline in hippocampal neurogenesis and cognition after SCI, we will examine in this review how SCI-induced inflammation could modulate hippocampal neurogenesis and provoke age-associated neurological disorders. Thereafter, we will discuss possible therapeutic options which may mitigate the influence of SCI associated complications on hippocampal neurogenesis.
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32
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Vyleta NP, Snyder JS. Prolonged development of long-term potentiation at lateral entorhinal cortex synapses onto adult-born neurons. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253642. [PMID: 34143843 PMCID: PMC8213073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Critical period plasticity at adult-born neuron synapses is widely believed to contribute to the learning and memory functions of the hippocampus. Experience regulates circuit integration and for a transient interval, until cells are ~6 weeks old, new neurons display enhanced long-term potentiation (LTP) at afferent and efferent synapses. Since neurogenesis declines substantially with age, this raises questions about the extent of lasting plasticity offered by adult-born neurons. Notably, however, the hippocampus receives sensory information from two major cortical pathways. Broadly speaking, the medial entorhinal cortex conveys spatial information to the hippocampus via the medial perforant path (MPP), and the lateral entorhinal cortex, via the lateral perforant path (LPP), codes for the cues and items that make experiences unique. While enhanced critical period plasticity at MPP synapses is relatively well characterized, no studies have examined long-term plasticity at LPP synapses onto adult-born neurons, even though the lateral entorhinal cortex is uniquely vulnerable to aging and Alzheimer's pathology. We therefore investigated LTP at LPP inputs both within (4-6 weeks) and beyond (8+ weeks) the traditional critical period. At immature stages, adult-born neurons did not undergo significant LTP at LPP synapses, and often displayed long-term depression after theta burst stimulation. However, over the course of 3-4 months, adult-born neurons displayed increasingly greater amounts of LTP. Analyses of short-term plasticity point towards a presynaptic mechanism, where transmitter release probability declines as cells mature, providing a greater dynamic range for strengthening synapses. Collectively, our findings identify a novel form of new neuron plasticity that develops over an extended interval, and may therefore be relevant for maintaining cognitive function in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P. Vyleta
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jason S. Snyder
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Gozel O, Gerstner W. A functional model of adult dentate gyrus neurogenesis. eLife 2021; 10:66463. [PMID: 34137370 PMCID: PMC8260225 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In adult dentate gyrus neurogenesis, the link between maturation of newborn neurons and their function, such as behavioral pattern separation, has remained puzzling. By analyzing a theoretical model, we show that the switch from excitation to inhibition of the GABAergic input onto maturing newborn cells is crucial for their proper functional integration. When the GABAergic input is excitatory, cooperativity drives the growth of synapses such that newborn cells become sensitive to stimuli similar to those that activate mature cells. When GABAergic input switches to inhibitory, competition pushes the configuration of synapses onto newborn cells toward stimuli that are different from previously stored ones. This enables the maturing newborn cells to code for concepts that are novel, yet similar to familiar ones. Our theory of newborn cell maturation explains both how adult-born dentate granule cells integrate into the preexisting network and why they promote separation of similar but not distinct patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Gozel
- School of Life Sciences and School of Computer and Communication Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Departments of Neurobiology and Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Grossman Center for Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Wulfram Gerstner
- School of Life Sciences and School of Computer and Communication Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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34
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Tucić M, Stamenković V, Andjus P. The Extracellular Matrix Glycoprotein Tenascin C and Adult Neurogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:674199. [PMID: 33996833 PMCID: PMC8117239 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.674199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tenascin C (TnC) is a glycoprotein highly expressed in the extracellular matrix (ECM) during development and in the adult central nervous system (CNS) in regions of active neurogenesis, where neuron development is a tightly regulated process orchestrated by extracellular matrix components. In addition, newborn cells also communicate with glial cells, astrocytes and microglia, indicating the importance of signal integration in adult neurogenesis. Although TnC has been recognized as an important molecule in the regulation of cell proliferation and migration, complete regulatory pathways still need to be elucidated. In this review we discuss the formation of new neurons in the adult hippocampus and the olfactory system with specific reference to TnC and its regulating functions in this process. Better understanding of the ECM signaling in the niche of the CNS will have significant implications for regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Tucić
- Center for Laser Microscopy, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Jean Giaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vera Stamenković
- Center for Laser Microscopy, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Jean Giaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Pavle Andjus
- Center for Laser Microscopy, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Jean Giaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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35
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Draganova R, Pfaffenrot V, Steiner KM, Göricke SL, Elangovan N, Timmann D, Konczak J. Neurostructural changes and declining sensorimotor function due to cerebellar cortical degeneration. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:1735-1745. [PMID: 33760649 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00266.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration of the cerebellum progresses over years and primarily affects cerebellar cortex. It leads to a progressive loss of control and coordination of gait, posture, speech, fine motor, and oculomotor function. Yet, little is known how the cerebro-cerebellar network compensates for the loss in cerebellar cortical neurons. To address this knowledge gap, we examined 30 people with cerebellar cortical degeneration and a group of 30 healthy controls. We assessed visuomotor performance during a forearm-pointing task to 10°, 25°, and 50° targets. In addition, using MRI imaging, we determined neurodegenerative-induced changes in gray matter volume (GMV) in the cerebro-cerebellar network and correlated them to markers of motor performance. The main results are as follows: first, the relative joint position error (RJPE) during pointing was significantly greater in the ataxia group for all targets confirming the expected motor control deficit. Second, in the ataxia group, GMV was significantly reduced in cerebellar cortex but increased in the deep cerebellar nuclei. Motor error (RJPE) correlated negatively with decreased cerebellar GMV but positively with increased GMV in supplementary motor area (SMA) and premotor cortex. GMV of the deep cerebellar nuclei did not correlate significantly with markers of motor performance. We discuss whether the GMV changes in the cerebellar output nuclei and the extracerebellar efferent targets in secondary motor cortex can be understood as a central compensatory response to the neurodegeneration of the cerebellar cortex.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neurodegeneration of the cerebellum progresses over years and primarily affects cerebellar cortex. It leads to a progressive loss of control and coordination of movement. We here show that the neurodegenerative process not only leads to cells loss in cerebellar cortex but also induces neurostructural changes in the form of increased gray matter in the efferent targets of the cerebellar cortex, namely, the cerebellar output nuclei, the SMA, and premotor cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossitza Draganova
- Department of Neurology, Essen University Medical Center, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Viktor Pfaffenrot
- Erwin L Hahn Institute of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Katharina M Steiner
- Department of Neurology, Essen University Medical Center, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Sophia L Göricke
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Naveen Elangovan
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Center for Clinical Movement Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Dagmar Timmann
- Department of Neurology, Essen University Medical Center, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Konczak
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Center for Clinical Movement Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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36
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Remapping of Adult-Born Neuron Activity during Fear Memory Consolidation in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062874. [PMID: 33808976 PMCID: PMC7999719 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian hippocampal dentate gyrus is a unique memory circuit in which a subset of neurons is continuously generated throughout the lifespan. Previous studies have shown that the dentate gyrus neuronal population can hold fear memory traces (i.e., engrams) and that adult-born neurons (ABNs) support this process. However, it is unclear whether ABNs themselves hold fear memory traces. Therefore, we analyzed ABN activity at a population level across a fear conditioning paradigm. We found that fear learning did not recruit a distinct ABN population. In sharp contrast, a completely different ABN population was recruited during fear memory retrieval. We further provide evidence that ABN population activity remaps over time during the consolidation period. These results suggest that ABNs support the establishment of a fear memory trace in a different manner to directly holding the memory. Moreover, this activity remapping process in ABNs may support the segregation of memories formed at different times. These results provide new insight into the role of adult neurogenesis in the mammalian memory system.
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37
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Mishra P, Narayanan R. Ion-channel regulation of response decorrelation in a heterogeneous multi-scale model of the dentate gyrus. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 2:100007. [PMID: 33997798 PMCID: PMC7610774 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2021.100007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneities in biological neural circuits manifest in afferent connectivity as well as in local-circuit components such as neuronal excitability, neural structure and local synaptic strengths. The expression of adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) amplifies local-circuit heterogeneities and guides heterogeneities in afferent connectivity. How do neurons and their networks endowed with these distinct forms of heterogeneities respond to perturbations to individual ion channels, which are known to change under several physiological and pathophysiological conditions? We sequentially traversed the ion channels-neurons-network scales and assessed the impact of eliminating individual ion channels on conductance-based neuronal and network models endowed with disparate local-circuit and afferent heterogeneities. We found that many ion channels differentially contributed to specific neuronal or network measurements, and the elimination of any given ion channel altered several functional measurements. We then quantified the impact of ion-channel elimination on response decorrelation, a well-established metric to assess the ability of neurons in a network to convey complementary information, in DG networks endowed with different forms of heterogeneities. Notably, we found that networks constructed with structurally immature neurons exhibited functional robustness, manifesting as minimal changes in response decorrelation in the face of ion-channel elimination. Importantly, the average change in output correlation was dependent on the eliminated ion channel but invariant to input correlation. Our analyses suggest that neurogenesis-driven structural heterogeneities could assist the DG network in providing functional resilience to molecular perturbations. Perturbations at one scale result in a cascading impact on physiology across scales. Heterogeneous multi-scale models used to assess the impact of ion-channel deletion. Mapping of structural components to functional outcomes is many-to-many. Differential & variable impact of ion channel deletion on response decorrelation. Neurogenesis-induced structural heterogeneity confers resilience to perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Mishra
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Rishikesh Narayanan
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
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38
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Huckleberry KA, Shansky RM. The unique plasticity of hippocampal adult-born neurons: Contributing to a heterogeneous dentate. Hippocampus 2021; 31:543-556. [PMID: 33638581 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus is evolutionarily conserved as one of the few sites of adult neurogenesis in mammals. Although there is clear evidence that neurogenesis is necessary for healthy hippocampal function, whether adult-born neurons are simply integrated into existing hippocampal networks to serve a similar purpose to that of developmentally born neurons or whether they represent a discrete cell population with unique functions remains less clear. In this review, we consider evidence for discrete cellular, synaptic, and structural features of adult-born DG neurons, suggesting that neurogenesis contributes to the formation of a heterogeneous DG. We therefore propose that hippocampal neurogenesis creates a specialized neuronal subpopulation that may play a key role in hippocampal functions like episodic memory. We note critical gaps in this extensive body of work, including a general failure to include female animals in relevant research and a need for more precise consideration of intrahippocampal neuroanatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie A Huckleberry
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca M Shansky
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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39
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Mau W, Hasselmo ME, Cai DJ. The brain in motion: How ensemble fluidity drives memory-updating and flexibility. eLife 2020; 9:e63550. [PMID: 33372892 PMCID: PMC7771967 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While memories are often thought of as flashbacks to a previous experience, they do not simply conserve veridical representations of the past but must continually integrate new information to ensure survival in dynamic environments. Therefore, 'drift' in neural firing patterns, typically construed as disruptive 'instability' or an undesirable consequence of noise, may actually be useful for updating memories. In our view, continual modifications in memory representations reconcile classical theories of stable memory traces with neural drift. Here we review how memory representations are updated through dynamic recruitment of neuronal ensembles on the basis of excitability and functional connectivity at the time of learning. Overall, we emphasize the importance of considering memories not as static entities, but instead as flexible network states that reactivate and evolve across time and experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Mau
- Neuroscience Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | | | - Denise J Cai
- Neuroscience Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
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40
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Nickell CG, Thompson KR, Pauly JR, Nixon K. Recovery of Hippocampal-Dependent Learning Despite Blunting Reactive Adult Neurogenesis After Alcohol Dependence. Brain Plast 2020; 6:83-101. [PMID: 33680848 PMCID: PMC7903006 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-200108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The excessive alcohol drinking that occurs in alcohol use disorder (AUD) causes neurodegeneration in regions such as the hippocampus, though recovery may occur after a period of abstinence. Mechanisms of recovery are not clear, though reactive neurogenesis has been observed in the hippocampal dentate gyrus following alcohol dependence and correlates to recovery of granule cell number. Objective: We investigated the role of neurons born during reactive neurogenesis in the recovery of hippocampal learning behavior after 4-day binge alcohol exposure, a model of an AUD. We hypothesized that reducing reactive neurogenesis would impair functional recovery. Methods: Adult male rats were subjected to 4-day binge alcohol exposure and two approaches were tested to blunt reactive adult neurogenesis, acute doses of alcohol or the chemotherapy drug, temozolomide (TMZ). Results: Acute 5 g/kg doses of EtOH gavaged T6 and T7 days post binge did not inhibit significantly the number of Bromodeoxyuridine-positive (BrdU+) proliferating cells in EtOH animals receiving 5 g/kg EtOH versus controls. A single cycle of TMZ inhibited reactive proliferation (BrdU+ cells) and neurogenesis (NeuroD+ cells) to that of controls. However, despite this blunting of reactive neurogenesis to basal levels, EtOH-TMZ rats were not impaired in their recovery of acquisition of the Morris water maze (MWM), learning similarly to all other groups 35 days after 4-day binge exposure. Conclusions: These studies show that TMZ is effective in decreasing reactive proliferation/neurogenesis following 4-day binge EtOH exposure, and baseline levels of adult neurogenesis are sufficient to allow recovery of hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea G Nickell
- University of Kentucky, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - K Ryan Thompson
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, TX, USA
| | - James R Pauly
- University of Kentucky, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kimberly Nixon
- University of Kentucky, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lexington, KY, USA.,The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, TX, USA
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41
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Zhang P, Yang L, Li G, Jin Y, Wu D, Wang QM, Huang P. Agrin Involvement in Synaptogenesis Induced by Exercise in a Rat Model of Experimental Stroke. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2020; 34:1124-1137. [PMID: 33135566 DOI: 10.1177/1545968320969939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Agrin is a proteoglycan that aggregates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) on neuromuscular junctions and takes part in synaptogenesis in the development of the central nervous system. However, its effects on neural repair and synaptogenesis after stroke are still unclear. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the effects of agrin on neural repair and synaptogenesis after stroke and the effects of exercise on this process in vivo and in vitro. METHODS Exercise with gradually increased intensity was initiated at 1 day after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for a maximum of 14 days. Neurological deficit scores and foot fault tests were used to assess the behavioral recovery. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopic images were used to detect the expression of agrin, synaptogenesis-related proteins, and synaptic density in vivo. In vitro, the ischemic neuron model was established via oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). The lentivirus overexpressed agrin and CREB inhibitor were used to investigate the mechanism by which agrin promoted synaptogenesis. RESULTS Exercise promoted behavioral recovery and this beneficial role was linked to the upregulated expression of agrin and increased synaptic density. Overexpressed agrin promoted synaptogenesis in OGD neuron, CREB inhibitor downregulated the expression of agrin and hampered synaptogenesis in cultured neurons. CONCLUSIONS These results indicated that exercise poststroke improved the recovery of behavioral function after stroke. Synaptogenesis was an important and beneficial factor, and agrin played a critical role in this process and could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of stroke and other nervous system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyue Zhang
- Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China.,Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Liqiang Yang
- Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Guangxiang Li
- Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yaju Jin
- Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Danli Wu
- Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Qing Mei Wang
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Peidong Huang
- Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
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42
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Sippel D, Schwabedal J, Snyder JC, Oyanedel CN, Bernas SN, Garthe A, Tröndle A, Storch A, Kempermann G, Brandt MD. Disruption of NREM sleep and sleep-related spatial memory consolidation in mice lacking adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16467. [PMID: 33020501 PMCID: PMC7536189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72362-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular plasticity at the structural level and sleep at the behavioural level are both essential for memory formation. The link between the two is not well understood. A functional connection between adult neurogenesis and hippocampus-dependent memory consolidation during NREM sleep has been hypothesized but not experimentally shown. Here, we present evidence that during a three-day learning session in the Morris water maze task a genetic knockout model of adult neurogenesis (Cyclin D2-/-) showed changes in sleep macro- and microstructure. Sleep EEG analyses revealed a lower total sleep time and NREM fraction in Cyclin D2-/- mice as well as an impairment of sleep specific neuronal oscillations that are associated with memory consolidation. Better performance in the memory task was associated with specific sleep parameters in wild-type, but not in Cyclin D2-/- mice. In wild-type animals the number of proliferating cells correlated with the amount of NREM sleep. The lack of adult neurogenesis led to changes in sleep architecture and oscillations that represent the dialog between hippocampus and neocortex during sleep. We suggest that adult neurogenesis-as a key event of hippocampal plasticity-might play an important role for sleep-dependent memory consolidation and modulates learning-induced changes of sleep macro- and microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Sippel
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - J Schwabedal
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187, Dresden, Germany
| | - J C Snyder
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - C N Oyanedel
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - S N Bernas
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - A Garthe
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - A Tröndle
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - A Storch
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Rostock, 18147, Rostock, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - G Kempermann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - M D Brandt
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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Chen L, Cummings KA, Mau W, Zaki Y, Dong Z, Rabinowitz S, Clem RL, Shuman T, Cai DJ. The role of intrinsic excitability in the evolution of memory: Significance in memory allocation, consolidation, and updating. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 173:107266. [PMID: 32512183 PMCID: PMC7429265 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Memory is a dynamic process that is continuously regulated by both synaptic and intrinsic neural mechanisms. While numerous studies have shown that synaptic plasticity is important in various types and phases of learning and memory, neuronal intrinsic excitability has received relatively less attention, especially regarding the dynamic nature of memory. In this review, we present evidence demonstrating the importance of intrinsic excitability in memory allocation, consolidation, and updating. We also consider the intricate interaction between intrinsic excitability and synaptic plasticity in shaping memory, supporting both memory stability and flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingxuan Chen
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - Kirstie A Cummings
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - William Mau
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - Yosif Zaki
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - Zhe Dong
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - Sima Rabinowitz
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - Roger L Clem
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - Tristan Shuman
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States
| | - Denise J Cai
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience, New York, New York, 10029, United States.
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44
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Wang P, Liang Y, Chen K, Yau SY, Sun X, Cheng KKY, Xu A, So KF, Li A. Potential Involvement of Adiponectin Signaling in Regulating Physical Exercise-Elicited Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Dendritic Morphology in Stressed Mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:189. [PMID: 32774242 PMCID: PMC7381385 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adiponectin, a cytokine secreted by mature adipocytes, proves to be neuroprotective. We have previously reported that running triggers adiponectin up-regulation which subsequently promotes generation of hippocampal neurons and thereby alleviates depression-like behaviors in non-stressed mice. However, under the stressing condition, whether adiponectin could still exert antidepressant-like effects following exercise remained unexplored. In this study, by means of repeated corticosterone injections to mimic stress insult and voluntary wheel running as physical exercise intervention, we examined whether exercise-elicited antidepressive effects might involve adiponectin's regulation on hippocampal neurogenesis and dendritic plasticity in stressed mice. Here we show that repeated injections of corticosterone inhibited hippocampal neurogenesis and impaired dendritic morphology of neurons in the dentate gyrus of both wild-type and adiponectin-knockout mice comparably, which subsequently evoked depression-like behaviors. Voluntary wheel running attenuated corticosterone-suppressed neurogenesis and enhanced dendritic plasticity in the hippocampus, ultimately reducing depression-like behaviors in wild-type, but not adiponectin-knockout mice. We further demonstrate that such proneurogenic effects were potentially achieved through activation of the AMP-dependent kinase (AMPK) pathway. Our study provides the first evidence that adiponectin signaling is essential for physical exercise-triggered effects on stress-elicited depression by retaining the normal proliferation of neural progenitors and dendritic morphology of neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, which may depend on activation of the AMPK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingjie Wang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiyao Liang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Suk-Yu Yau
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Xin Sun
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kenneth King-Yip Cheng
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Aimin Xu
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-Fai So
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Ang Li
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
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45
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Adult-Born Hippocampal Neurons Undergo Extended Development and Are Morphologically Distinct from Neonatally-Born Neurons. J Neurosci 2020; 40:5740-5756. [PMID: 32571837 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1665-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During immature stages, adult-born neurons pass through critical periods for survival and plasticity. It is generally assumed that by 2 months of age adult-born neurons are mature and equivalent to the broader neuronal population, raising questions of how they might contribute to hippocampal function in old age when neurogenesis has declined. However, few have examined adult-born neurons beyond the critical period or directly compared them to neurons born in infancy. Here, we used a retrovirus to visualize functionally relevant morphological features of 2- to 24-week-old adult-born neurons in male rats. From 2 to 7 weeks, neurons grew and attained a relatively mature phenotype. However, several features of 7-week-old neurons suggested a later wave of growth: these neurons had larger nuclei, thicker dendrites, and more dendritic filopodia than all other groups. Indeed, between 7 and 24 weeks, adult-born neurons gained additional dendritic branches, formed a second primary dendrite, acquired more mushroom spines, and had enlarged mossy fiber presynaptic terminals. Compared with neonatal-born neurons, old adult-born neurons had greater spine density, larger presynaptic terminals, and more putative efferent filopodial contacts onto inhibitory neurons. By integrating rates of cell birth and growth across the life span, we estimate that adult neurogenesis ultimately produces half of the cells and the majority of spines in the dentate gyrus. Critically, protracted development contributes to the plasticity of the hippocampus through to the end of life, even after cell production declines. Persistent differences from neonatal-born neurons may additionally endow adult-born neurons with unique functions even after they have matured.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurogenesis occurs in the hippocampus throughout adult life and contributes to memory and emotion. It is generally assumed that new neurons have the greatest impact on behavior when they are immature and plastic. However, since neurogenesis declines dramatically with age, it is unclear how they might contribute to behavior later in life when cell proliferation has slowed. Here we find that newborn neurons mature over many months in rats and may end up with distinct morphological features compared with neurons born in infancy. Using a mathematical model, we estimate that a large fraction of neurons is added in adulthood. Moreover, their extended growth produces a reserve of plasticity that persists even after neurogenesis has declined to low rates.
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46
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Petkova SP, Pride M, Klocke C, Fenton TA, White J, Lein PJ, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Silverman JL, Waldau B. Cyclin D2-knock-out mice with attenuated dentate gyrus neurogenesis have robust deficits in long-term memory formation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8204. [PMID: 32424171 PMCID: PMC7235216 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65090-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurobehavioral studies have produced contradictory findings concerning the function of neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus. Previous studies have proved inconsistent across several behavioral endpoints thought to be dependent on dentate neurogenesis, including memory acquisition, short-term and long-term retention of memory, pattern separation, and reversal learning. We hypothesized that the main function of dentate neurogenesis is long-term memory formation because we assumed that a newly formed and integrated neuron would have a long-term impact on the local neural network. We used a cyclin D2-knock-out (cyclin D2−/−) mouse model of endogenously deficient dentate neurogenesis to test this hypothesis. We found that cyclin D2−/− mice had robust and sustained loss of long-term memory in two separate behavioral tasks, Morris water maze (MWM) and touchscreen intermediate pattern separation. Moreover, after adjusting for differences in brain volumes determined by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, reduced dentate neurogenesis moderately correlated with deficits in memory retention after 24 hours. Importantly, cyclin D2−/− mice did not show deficits in learning acquisition in a touchscreen paradigm of intermediate pattern separation or MWM platform location, indicating intact short-term memory. Further evaluation of cyclin D2−/− mice is necessary to confirm that deficits are specifically linked to dentate gyrus neurogenesis since cyclin D2−/− mice also have a reduced size of the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, cerebellum and cortex besides reduced dentate gyrus neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stela P Petkova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Michael Pride
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Carolyn Klocke
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, 95616, US
| | - Timothy A Fenton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Jeannine White
- Institute for Regenerative Cures, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, 95616, US.,MIND Institute, UC Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3H7, Canada.,Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience,The University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Jill L Silverman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US.,MIND Institute, UC Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Ben Waldau
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US.
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47
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Ali AAH, Tundo-Lavalle F, Hassan SA, Pfeffer M, Stahr A, von Gall C. Impact of Targeted Deletion of the Circadian Clock Gene Bmal1 in Excitatory Forebrain Neurons on Adult Neurogenesis and Olfactory Function. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1394. [PMID: 32092990 PMCID: PMC7073072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The circadian system is an endogenous timekeeping system that synchronizes physiology and behavior with the 24 h solar day. Mice with total deletion of the core circadian clock gene Bmal1 show circadian arrhythmicity, cognitive deficits, and accelerated age-dependent decline in adult neurogenesis as a consequence of increased oxidative stress. However, it is not yet known if the impaired adult neurogenesis is due to circadian disruption or to loss of the Bmal1 gene function. Therefore, we investigated oxidative stress and adult neurogenesis of the two principle neurogenic niches, the hippocampal subgranular zone and the subventricular zone in mice with a forebrain specific deletion of Bmal1 (Bmal1 fKO), which show regular circadian rhythmicity. Moreover, we analyzed the morphology of the olfactory bulb, as well as olfactory function in Bmal1 fKO mice. In Bmal1 fKO mice, oxidative stress was increased in subregions of the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb but not in the neurogenic niches. Consistently, adult neurogenesis was not affected in Bmal1 fKO mice. Although Reelin expression in the olfactory bulb was higher in Bmal1 fKO mice as compared to wildtype mice (Bmal1 WT), the olfactory function was not affected. Taken together, the targeted deletion of Bmal1 in mouse forebrain neurons is associated with a regional increase in oxidative stress and increased Reelin expression in the olfactory bulb but does not affect adult neurogenesis or olfactory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira A. H. Ali
- Institute of Anatomy II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Merowinger Platz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.A.H.A.); (F.T.-L.); (S.A.H.); (M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Federica Tundo-Lavalle
- Institute of Anatomy II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Merowinger Platz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.A.H.A.); (F.T.-L.); (S.A.H.); (M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Soha A. Hassan
- Institute of Anatomy II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Merowinger Platz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.A.H.A.); (F.T.-L.); (S.A.H.); (M.P.); (A.S.)
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez 43111, Egypt
| | - Martina Pfeffer
- Institute of Anatomy II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Merowinger Platz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.A.H.A.); (F.T.-L.); (S.A.H.); (M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Anna Stahr
- Institute of Anatomy II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Merowinger Platz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.A.H.A.); (F.T.-L.); (S.A.H.); (M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Charlotte von Gall
- Institute of Anatomy II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Merowinger Platz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.A.H.A.); (F.T.-L.); (S.A.H.); (M.P.); (A.S.)
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48
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Nauer RK, Schon K, Stern CE. Cardiorespiratory fitness and mnemonic discrimination across the adult lifespan. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 27:91-103. [PMID: 32071255 PMCID: PMC7029721 DOI: 10.1101/lm.049197.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
With a rising aging population, it is important to develop behavioral tasks that assess and track cognitive decline, and to identify protective factors that promote healthy brain aging. Mnemonic discrimination tasks that rely on pattern separation mechanisms are a promising metric to detect subtle age-related memory impairments. Behavioral performance on these tasks rely on the integrity of the hippocampus and surrounding circuitry, which are brain regions known to be adversely affected in aging and neurodegenerative disorders. Aerobic exercise, which improves cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), has been shown to counteract aging-related decreases in structural and functional brain integrity and attenuate decline of cognitive performance. Here, we tested the hypothesis that higher CRF attenuates age-related deficits in mnemonic discrimination in both a nonspatial mnemonic discrimination (Mnemonic Similarity Task) and a virtual navigation task (Route Disambiguation Task). Importantly, we included individuals across the lifespan (aged 18–83 yr), including the middle-age range, to determine mnemonic discrimination performance across adulthood. Participants completed two mnemonic discrimination tasks and a treadmill test to assess CRF. Our results demonstrate robust negative age-related effects on mnemonic discrimination performance across both the nonspatial and spatial domains. Critically, higher CRF mitigated age-related attenuation in spatial contextual discrimination task performance, but did not show an attenuation effect on performance for object-based mnemonic discrimination. These results suggest that performance on spatial mnemonic discrimination may be a useful tool to track vulnerability in older individuals at risk for cognitive decline, and that higher CRF may lead to cognitive preservation across the adult lifespan, particularly for spatial disambiguation of similar contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Nauer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Center for Memory and Brain, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Karin Schon
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Center for Memory and Brain, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Chantal E Stern
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Center for Memory and Brain, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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49
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Tran LM, Josselyn SA, Richards BA, Frankland PW. Forgetting at biologically realistic levels of neurogenesis in a large-scale hippocampal model. Behav Brain Res 2019; 376:112180. [PMID: 31472193 PMCID: PMC8719326 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Neurogenesis persists throughout life in the dentate gyrus region of the mammalian hippocampus. Computational models have established that the addition of neurons degrades existing memories (i.e., produces forgetting). These predictions are supported by empirical observations in rodents, where post-training increases in neurogenesis also promote forgetting of hippocampus-dependent memories. However, in these computational models which use 10-1,000 neurons to represent the dentate gyrus, forgetting is only observed at rates of new neuron addition that greatly exceed adult neurogenesis rates observed in vivo. In order to address this, here we generated an artificial neural network which incorporated more realistic features of the hippocampus - including increased network size (with up to 20,000 dentate gyrus neurons), sparse activity, and sparse connectivity - features that were not present in earlier models. In addition, we explored how properties of new neurons - their connectivity, excitability, and plasticity - impact forgetting using a pattern categorization task. Our results revealed that neurogenic networks forget previously learned input-output pattern associations. This forgetting predicted a performance enhancement in subsequent conflictual learning, compared to static networks (with no added neurons). These effects were especially sensitive to changes in increased output connectivity and excitability of new neurons. Crucially, forgetting was observed at much lower rates of neurogenesis in larger networks, with the addition of as little as 0.2% of the total DG population sufficient to induce forgetting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina M Tran
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dept. of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Vector Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sheena A Josselyn
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dept. of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Sciences, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada; Brain, Mind and Consciousness Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Blake A Richards
- Mila, Montreal, QC, Canada; School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Paul W Frankland
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dept. of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Sciences, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada; Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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50
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred H Gage
- Laboratory of Genetics, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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